Trunk-lock.



0'. n. BARKSDA LE.

TRUNK LOCK.

.APPLICATION FILED SEPT-27, I916.

1,2 1 8,043. Patehted Mar. 6,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET ll 11 a 11 1% 7,29 5

u .0 l a roar v *b CLEMENT Douems lbamsoau V C. D. BARKSDALE.

; TRUNK LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 27, 1916- I 1,218,043. Patented Mar. 6,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CLEMENT Douems EHRKSDHLE BEST AVAILABLE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENT DOUGLAS BARKSDALE, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 SEWARD TRUNK AND BAG COMPANY, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION -01 VIRGINIA.

To all uhom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, CLEMENT DoUcLAs Banksnann, a' citizen of the United States,

residing at Petersburg, inthe county of Dinwiddie and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference .being had to Broadly stated. it is the primary purpose and object of the present invention to provide simple and eil'ective means for easily. quickly and securely locking the two hinged sections of the trunk together from a standing position.

It is another important object of the invention to provide a locking means for the above purpose. which is exceedingly strong and durable'and capable of withstanding the severe usage to which suchreceptacles are subjected in transit.

In its more specific aspect, the invention includes an actuator bar mounted upon the inner side of one of the'trunk sections and carrying a plurality of spaced locking elements. correspoiulingly spaced keepers sccured to the other trunk section, andm ans operatively connecting the actuator bar to the hasp plate which carries the exterior lock. to impart a combined vertical and lateral movement to the actuator bar and cause the latch elements to co-act with the keepers v and draw the two sections of the trunk tightly together.

It is also one of the detail objects of the invention to mount the actuator bar and the keepers in such relative positions on the two proved means for mounting the lock carrying hasp plate upon the trunk wall and operatlvely connecting the same to one end of the actuator bar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

companying drawings,

TRUNK-LOCK.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application fi1ed-September27, 1916. Serial No. 122,459.

As a further general object of the invention, I aim to improve and simplify the-com struction of trunk locking devices of the above character so that the trunk may be closed and locked with ease and facility and. a minimum of manual exertion, the improved construction, however, being capable of manufacture and application to the trunk without materially increasing the retail cost price thereof.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction. combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described. claimed and illustrated in the acin which,

Figure 1. is a front elevation of the trunk with .the two sections thereof locked together',

Fig. 2 IS an interior perspective View illustrati'ng my improved locking device,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the actuator bar in its release positionand the trunk sections partly open;

rotatable pin or rivet operatively connecting the swinging hasp to the actuator bar.

In the accompanying drawings, I. have illustrated a well known type of wardrobe trunk, but it is, of course, manifest that the present invention, which relates solely to the locking means for the trunk sections, is applicable as well to various other trunk construetions. For the purpose of this explanation. I have shown two elongated trunk sections designated by the numerals 5 and 6, which are suitably lined on the interior and provided with any preferred exterior embellishments or ornamentation. The section 5 is adapted to contain one or more hangers for skirts. trousers, or other garments, and

as such hangers may obviously be" contion in many different ways, the same has been omitted from the drawings. The other of the trunk sections or compartments 6 has any desired number of shelves fixed therein, upon which suitable drawers or cases, indicated at 7, are adapted to be arranged.

At a point in spaced relation to the upper end of the trunk section 6 and contiguous to its longitudinal edge, a plate 15 is riveted, said plate being formed with a socket mortised into the trunk wall, for the purpose of receiving the lock casing carried by the hasp plate 16. w This exterior lock for the trunk may be of any approved construction, the

locking bolt co-acting with a keeper flange or lug on the plate 14 when the hasp plate is swung to its locked position.

The hasp plate 15 is hingedly connected a one of its ends to an extension formed upon the shallow, dished, circular plate 17. the hinge 1T permitting of the outward swinging movement of the hasp plate with respect to the trunk wall. A pin or rivet, shown in detail in Fig. 8. is formed with an intermediate. cylindrical portion 19 rotatably mounted in the front wall of the trunk section 5. Upon the opposite sides of the trunk wall, the metal bearing plates 19 are arranged. each of said plates having a circular opening therein to receive the cylindrical portion 18 of the rotatable rivet. Upon one end of the cylindrical portion 18 of the rivet, a square or rectangular extension 20 is formed. upon which a metal disk 21 is rigidly fixed. This disk fits within the dished plate 17 and is riveted thereto. as shown at The edge of the plate 16 has bearing contact with the face of the outer bearing plate. 19. The plate lti is also centrally formed with an outwardly punched section or protuberance 93 which affords a concave seat for the convex terminal it of the rotatable rivet. Upon the other end of the'portion 18 of this rivet, a square or rectangular extension 25 is also formed for engagement through a similarly shaped opening in one end of an arm or lever 26. The

. end of the square portion 25 of the rivet is swaged over upon the-arm 26 around the opening therein. and in this operation a heavv metal block or other suitable abutment is forced against .the protuberance, 23 on the plate 17 while the end 25 of the rivet isswaged by striking the same with a hammer. The provision of this central seat in the plate for the contex end 24 of the rivet enables the workman to easily and quickly swage the end of the rivet upon the lever 26 and without liability of-bending or mutilating the plate 16.

Upon the inner face of the front wall of the trunk section 5 and adjacent to its lower end. a plate 27 is secured. the upper end of said plate being bent at right angles and BEST AVAILABLE COP projecting inwardly as shown at 28. This end of the plate 27 has a longitudinal slot 29 therein t receive the lower end of an actuator bar 30 which has a loose pivotal movement insaid slot.

.\t a point adjacent the center of the trunk wall. a similar elongated plate 31 is secured, and this plate likewise is provided with a flange 32 on one end extending the entire width of the plate and havinga slot 33 therein to accommodate the bar 30. The upper end' of the bar 30 is loosely connected to a pivot stud 34 fixed in the arm or lever 26. The flanges 29 and 32 on the plates 27 and 31.serve to brace the actuator bar and maintain the same in constant spaced, parallel relation to the inner face of the trunk wall and hold said bar against inward displacement with respect to the wall. At the same time. howevcr..the bar may have a free vertical sliding movement through the slotted flanges on said plates. To the side face of the bar 30 opposed to thetrunk wall. a locking element 215 is riveted or otherwise securely fixed. said element projecting outwardly toward the edge of the trunk wall and being formed with :1 lug 23(3 projecting downwardly inv spaced. parallel relation to the outer longitudinal edge of the bar 30. This lockingclement is located above the plate 31. second locking element 37 is also fixed to the outer sidc face cf the bar 3 above the lower guide plate 27. This latter locking element has its lower edge obliquely inclined in an upward direction. indicated at 38. and at the upper end of said inclined edge 3h ashonldcr t is formed on the locking element in spaced relation to the front verticalmlgc of the bar 30.

I'ppcr and lower spaced keepers l0 and ll respectively. are securely riveted to the inner face of the front wall of the trunk section 6 and project beyond the edge thereof. These keepers are arranged in line with the spaced lugs 13 fixed to the exterior face of the wall of said trunk section. The upper keeper member 40 is in the form of a fiat. metal bar having an ll])\\':\l'(ll projecting lug 42 formed upon its extremity. The lower keeper clement ll has its out?" end disposed in a horixontal plane and provided with a longitmlinally extending slot 43. the outer end wall of which is obliquely inclined as shown at it. It is to be noted that the metal strap 12 is of sutlicient width to extend over the projecting end portions of the keepers 40 and 41. and thereby obviate possibility of bending or displacement of the keepers when the trunk is open. by heavy objects accidentally striking the same.

Having above described the construction and arrangement of the several elements of my invention. the operation of the device will be understood as follows: Assuming 'the lug 412 on the keeper 40 is disposed in a position inwardly of the depending lug 31: on the locking element 35. The hasp plate It) is then swung from the vertical position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3 down \vardly toward the trunk section (5 to a horizontal position. In this movement of the hasp plate. the plate lTis rotated or turned and an axial rotationimparted to the rivet connecting said plate to the lever or crankdrawing arm :26. This arm is thus also swung downwardly and the actuator bar 30 moved Vertically downward and in a lateral inward direction with respect to the open side of the trunk section 5. In this downward and inward movement of the bar 30, the obliquely inclined edge 38 of the locking element 37 rides upon the inclined end edge 44 of the slot l3 in the keeper 41, while at the same time. the lug 36 on the element 33 co-acts with the upstanding lug 42 on the keeper .40 and exerts a positive lateral pull thereon. In this manner, it will be at once seen that the opposed'edges of the trunk walls at the open sides of the sections 5 and 6 are positively and tightly drawn together in abutting contact. When the parts are in this last described relative position, the hinged back plate 16 is horizontally disposed and the same is then pressed inwardly toengage the lock carried thereby within the seat or socket formed .in the plate 15 on the wall of the trunk section 6. The reverse of this .action occurs when the trunk" is open. In

other words. after releasing the exterior look by means of the required key, the hasp plate 16 is swung outwardly and then turned upwardl to rotate the plate 17, thereby the actuator bar 30 upwardly and moving the same in an outward direction through the spaced guides 27 and 31. The guide 31 is arranged in such position with respect to the arm 26 that the upward movement of the bar 30 will be limited by frictional binding contact of its outer vertical edge with the end wall of the slot in said guide so that the hasp plate 16 cannot be swung beyond the vertical position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The contact of the inner vertical edge. of the bar 30 with the opposite end wall of the guide slot limits the downward swinging movement of the, Attenhasp plate to its horizontal position. tion is particularly directed to the fact that the keeper element 40, when in its locked position, is disposed in the space between the vertically movable bar 30 and the front wall trunk may be tightly of the trunk section5. Thus, excessive pressure against the front wall will not result in a displacement of the keeper 40 out of The mechanism above line with the keepers 10 and 41 aflords an additional protection for the latter keepers to prevent their possible displacement or injury through rough handling of the trunk in transit. The actuator bar 30 and the looking elements carried thereby are inclose'd within a suitable housing or casing 45 so that articles within the trunk will notbe engaged and injured thereby.

From theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction, manner of operation andsevcral advantages of my improved trunk lock will be clearly and fully understood.

By providing a locking device which, when actuated, will automatically draw the two sections of the trunk positively together into tight abutting contact, the necessity of exerting manual pressure against the two trunk sections to lock the same is obviated, and the locked with absolute certainty of its security with but little physical exertion. and with great ease and facility. It will, at the same time, be appreciated that my improved locking device is exceedinglysirnple in its construction, as well as of great strength and durability and may be readily manufactured and applied to trunks of this type without increasing the retail selling cost thereof to a material extent. I have herein ,set forth what I believe to be the present preferred form and construction of the several elements employed, as I have found the same highly serviceable and satisfactory in practical use. It is, however, to be distinctlv understood that the invention is not to be limited to the mechanical details hereinbefore described, as I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate modifications therein as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my inven- 3 interior of the latter container section, and

- wall of th other means operativelv connecting said locking element to the exterior lock whereby 1n the rotation of said exterior lock. said locking element is longitudinaltv shifted and engagcd with the keeper member on the other container section and then positively shifted in a lateral direction to exert a longitudinal pull upon the keeper t'nember and move the container sections into tightengagement with each other.

In combination with two relatively movable trunk sections. a keeper fixed to one of the trunk sections. an exterior lock rotatably mounted upon the other trunk section. interior locking means on said trunk section including a ,shil't'able bar carrying a locking element'to eo-act with the keeper. and a crank arm connecting said bar at one end to the rotatable lock whereby when said lock is rotated. the locking element; on the bar is oper.-itivel v engaged with the keeper to exert a positive longitudinal pull thereon and move the trttnk sections into tight engagement with each other at their open sides. said crank arm being disposed in parallel relation to the shilftable bar when the trunk sections are locked.- I

I}, In combination with two relatively movable trunk sections, an exterior lock rotatably mounted upon one of said trunk sections. a crank arm connected to said lock and disposed within the trunk section. interior locking nreans including a bar rectilinearly shittable in two directions upon said trunk section and operatively connected at one of its ends to said crank arm. spaced loeking elements carried by said bar. guides for said bar. the bar eo-acting with one of said guides to limit the rotative movement of the exterior lock. and complementary lixcd lntlillrg members eettl'ed within the other trunk section adapted to be engaged by the respecti\c locking elements on the .bar to positi\el l'oree the two tlfllnlt SGC- lions into close abutting contact at their open sides in the movement ol'the exterior lock to its operative 'position.

1. Tu combination with two relatively movable trunk sections. an exterior lock rotatably mounted upon one of said trunk sections. a keeper lixed to the corresponding section and projecting bey nd the t-dgt tlicreol'. a laterally movable bar mounted within the first natned trttnk section. a guide for said bar fixed to the wall of the trunk section. a locking element carried hv said har. means operatively connecting the bar at one ol its ends to the rotatahlc exterior lock whereby said bar is lateral'lr moved in the guide and the locking element engaged with the keeper member toexert a positive lateral pull and force the trtmk sections into close abutting eonta'ct at their open sides. one edge of the BEST AVAILABLE COP bar l'rictionally engaging the guide to limit the rotative movement of the exterior lock.

In combination with two relatively movable trunk sections, an exterior lock rotatably mounted upon one of said trunk sections. interior locking means including an actuator bar. a crank arm connected to the rotatable lock to which the upper end of said actuator bar is pivotally connected, :1 guide tixed to the trunk wall within which the other end of said bar has a rocking pivotal anoncthent. a second guide for saidbar, said latter guide constituting a stop to limit the lateral movementof the bar and the rotation of the exterior lock, spaced locking elements carried by said bar, andcomplemcntary lixed locking members on the other trunk section adapted lobe engaged by said clement when'the exterior lock is rotated to ositively force the two trunk sections into tight abutting contact at their open sides.

t. In combination with two relatively movable trunk sections. a rotatable, exterior loelt mounted upon one of the trttnk sections. interior locking means including a bar oscillatably mounted at one of its ends upon the latter trunk section. a laterally projecting locking elctnt nt carried by said bar. a complementary locking element fixed to the other trunk section. and means operatively connecting the bar to the exterior lock. whereby upon rotation of the exterior lock in one direction. said bar is oscillated to engage the first; named locking element with the second locking element and positively draw the trunk sections into close abutting contact at their open sides.

T. trunktlocking mechanism for securllll! together two sections of a trunk. including shil'tahle. internal locking means mounted upon one of the trunk sections. lixed locking members on the other trunk section for engagement by said locking means. bearing plates tixed to the opposite faces of the wall of the first named trunk section. a rotatable pin mounted in said wall and the bearing plates. said pin having rectangular end portions. an operative connection between one of the rectangular end portious'of said'pin and the Shift able locking means. a disk fixed upon the other rectangular end portion of the pin in spaced relation to the outer hearing plate. a dished plate riveted to said disk and rotatahly engaged at its edge upon said hearing plate. and a hasp hingedly connected to said dished plate carrying an exterior lock. saidhasp antl lock being movable relative to the trunk wall to rotate said pin and actuate the shit'table locking means.

9. In a trunk lock. a hasp plate consisting of two hingedly connected sections, a pin rotatably mounted in the wall of one of the trunk sections, the other section of the hasp 1 21 043, I v a v ha having a dished portion, means concealed within said dished portion of the hasp section for securing said hasp section to one end of the rotatable pin, whereby the hasp 5 may be swungin a plane parallel to the trunk wall, and locking mechanism carried by the other section of the hesp In testimony whereof I hereurito ,azfiix my 

